Omaha daily bee., 1887-10-16

summer in the country, where I took
her to rest and recruit"
saw young lady pause at the foot of
the New York Elevated Railroad station
the other day, and look up the long
flight of stairs with sigh.
"Oh, if were only dressed like a
man." she cried, show l would skip up
those stairs! but my shoes are tight,
my elastics are light, my waist is tight,
and my gloves and collar are tight, so l
can only crawl up!"
She was no exception to this rule
either-only in being frank about it.
But that very day eeard gentle
man comment pleasantly on the trim,
neat figure of this young lady, and her
modest, yet stylish mode of dress.
To be absolutely comfortably attired
for walking, climbing stairs and riding,
the waist ought not to have even the re-
striction of whalebone, there ought to
against, and the skirts should reach
only to the tops of the boots. Yet we
would sooner venture alone in the
jungles of Africa than to walk down
Broadway attired in this manney.
1t is easier to suffey the martyrdom of
fashion.
We all desire to be pleasing in the
eyes of the lords of creation: we are all
wounded if we receive neglect or ridi
cule from them, and we have all noticed
that whatever our fathers, lovers, Or
brothers may say theoretically on the
subject, that they invariably show their
admiration for a handsomely dressed
woman who combines good taste with
fashion.
1t is painful truth that the woman
who ignores fashion for comfort inn
pairs her usefulness, and brings upon
herself annoyance.
II she travels she meets with rudeness
and ridicule.
If she goes shopping she meets with
inattention and discOurtesy.
If she goes on an errand of charity
she is looked upon rs crank or an i'm
pOstOr.
A fashionable costume on the other
hand, is an open letter of credit.
The conductor looks after you, the
''saleslady" is attentive, the banker
Obsequious, and the usher Of the church
finds the best pew for you. 1t is pitiful,
but it is true.
And so we prefer to bear physical
suffering to mental and spiritual dis
turbance.
A great deal has been said of late
concerning the decolletee dress for
ladies.
Being myself worshipper at the
shrine of beautiful woman, and an ad-
mirer of the nude in art, l am perhaps
untitled to discuss this subject imparti-
ally.
have seen immodest dressing which
shocked and disgusted me, but it seems
to me the rule that American women
know where to draw the line.
could never understand why the un-
covering of pretty arms and shoulders
was any more immodest than the uncov-
ering of pretty face. In Asia custom
considers the latter improper.
Men exhibit sad unreasonableness in
this matter also. A pretty young wife
broke into tears one evening and confided
hertrouble to me. She had just returned
from reception, wearing a close, high
necked dress. ''John has talked of
nothing all the way home, she said but
the beauty and elegance of Mrs. s..
He thinks her model of good taste in
dress. She was attired in low-necked
sleeveless gown. Yet he would not let
me wear my V-shaped bodice with the
lace sleeves; he said it was immodest." "
fJohn held his wife's neck too sacred
to be gazed upon by other eyes las his
defenders would argue), it was at least
very bad taste for him to expatiate on
the charms of another woman S
shoulders. Had he been man Of tact